Can opener



' Feb. 10, 1942. J, HQTHERSALL 2,272,204

CAN OPENER Filed Dec. 51, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Feb. 10, 1942.J, M, HOTHERSALL 2,272,204

CAN OPENER Filed Dec. 31, 1940 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEh IZOR. BY in!ATToiaNYs Patented Feb. 10, i942 CAN OPENER John M. Hothersall,Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company,

New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New Jersey Application December 31, 1940 Serial No.372,663

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a can opening device and has particularreference to a bracket type can opener which is operated by footpressure while the can to be opened is held inone hand.

An object of the invention is the provision of a bracket type can openerwhich may be operated by foot pressure so that the can to be opened maybe held in one hand while leaving the other hand 'free to hold otherthings.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a can opening device embodying theinstant invention, the view showing a can in of an opening operation;

Fig.2is a sectional view'taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the moving parts of thedevice and the can in a difierent position, parts of the device andportions of the can being broken away and shown in section; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line -4 in Fig.3. w

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawings illustrate abracket type opening device for opening sheet metal cans A having topand bottom end members B and C, respectively, secured to the body of thecan by suitable end seams D. In the device the top end member B ispreferably pierced adjacent the to end seam D and cut inwardly towardthe center of the top along substantially parallel lines of severancewhile turning the cut-away portion inwardly of the can to produce a widesubstantially rectangular shaped dispensing opening E. In beer canswhich may be readily opened in this manner, such a wide opening isdesirable to permit the customer to drink directly from the can.

Such an opening device preferably includes a bracket H which may besecured to the bottom of a table or bar. If desired such a bracket maybe made with a vertical leg so that it may be secured to a wall or othersuitable vertical support.

The bracket H supports a movable cradle l2 which is adapted to retain acan A to be opened while the latter is held in one hand. The cradle ispreferably fashioned after a bell crank and position as at thebeginning.

includes a depending leg l4 and a rearwardly extending lever arm l5.This cradle is mounted on a pivot pin [6 located in the lever arm andcarried in a pair of spaced depending lugs ll formed on the bracket H.

The lower end of the cradle leg I4 is formed with a curved or horse-shoeshaped base 2| which extends out at a right angle to the leg and whichis open at the front of the device. This open bottom base is surroundedby a ledge 22. The bottom C of a can A to be opened is supported on thisbase when the can is placed in the device for opening. I

The upper end of a can A placed in the device is also supported and forthis purpose the upper end of the cradle leg i4 is formed with a curvedflexible guide rail 23. This guide rail is open at the front of thedevice so that a cam may be readily slipped into it, being then retainedagainst displacement.

The cradle l2 and a can A held therein are adapted to be rocked on thepivot pin Hi. This is efiected by a vertical link 25, the upper end ofwhich is connected with the outer end of the cradle lever arm 45. Thelower end of the link is connected with a foot treadle 26. The

foot treadle is mounted on a pivot pin 21 carried in a bracket 28preferably secured to the floor.

The foot treadle is maintained in a raised position relative to thefloor, by a tension spring 3i. One end of the spring is hooked into ahole 32 in one of the bracket lugs l1 while the opposite end is securedin a hole 33 in a lug 34 formed on the cradle leg M. This springnormally retains the cradle in the position shown in Fig. 1 where it isspaced away from the bracket Ii so that a can may be readily insertedinto the cradle.

Thus by stepping on the treadle 26 the cradle arm i 5 is rocked on itspivot pin l6 and the cradle is swung against the resistance of thespring 3|. This rocking action moves a can A held in place in the cradlein an upward direction toward the bracket II. It is during this upwardmovement that the can is opened as will now be explained.

The opening of the can A is preferably affected by a cutter 35 formed ona plate 36 which is secured by screws 3'! to the bottom of the bracketII. The cutter is formed with a curved depending rear wallsection 4|having beveled cutting edges 42 and this wall section terminates in asharp piercing point 43. The rear wall section 4| merges into a pair offorwardly extending substantially straight side wall sections 44havingcurved and beveled cutting edges '45. The rear wall section isdisposed so that when the can} is fully opened it is just inside of thetop end seam D of the can A in the cradle l2. The side wall sections 44thereupon extend toward the center of this can top. This cutter isremovable and replaceable so that it may be changed if desired. a

Hence as the upwardly moving can approaches the cutter, the sharp point43 of the latter pierces the can top B adjacent the top end seam D andthe can is thus impaled on the cutter. As the can continues to moveupwardly it pushes further onto the cutter until the can end seam Dengages against the bottom of the bracket II, as shown in Fig. 3. Thecutter thus produces the dispensing opening E hereinbefore mentioned.This engagement oi the can top with the bracket ll terminates theopening operation. Upon releasing the foot from the'ioot'treadle 28, thespring 3! draws the cradle l2 and the can held therein away from thecutter to the original position shown in Fig. l. Thereupon theopened'can may be removed from the cradle.

Provision is made for guarding the cutter when not in use to preventinjury to the user. To this end a depending curved guard 48 having alowered flared edge 49 is formed on the bracket II-. This guard isproportioned so that it partially surrounds the can when the latter isimpaled upon the cutter and thus serves as" a guard against inadvertentsquirting of liquid contents from the cans during opening as well as aguard for the cutter.

It should be mentioned that the inclination of the cradle, when it is innon-operating position, as shown in Fig. 1, and which is the positionfrom which the opened can is withdrawn, is not at too great an angle sothat spilling of liquid contents when the can is withdrawn from thecradle is prevented since the opening E is at the highest part of thecan. This tipping action is limited by the cradle lever arm l5 which isbent so that it will engage against the bracket H and thereby restrictthe downward movement of the cradle when the latter is pulled down bythe spring 3|.

It is thought that the invention and many 01, its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it willbeapparent that various changes may be made in the form; constructionand arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, theformhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A can opening device, comprising-in combination a bracket adapted tosupport the device, a cutter on said bracket, and' a cradle mountedrelative to said bracket for supporting a can to be to be opened inalignment with said cutter, and actuating means connecting with saidlever arm ior rocking it and the cradle carried thereon to force the canonto the cutter to produce a dispensing opening in the can.

3. A can opening device. comprising in combination a bracket adapted tobe secured to a support, a cutter on said bracket, a lever arm pivotallymounted on said bracket, a cradle carried on said lever for supporting acan to be opened in alignment with said cutter, actuating meansconnecting with said lever arm; for rocking it and the cradle carriedthereon to force the can onto the cutter to produce a dispensing openingin the can, and means for returning the cradle to its original positionaiter an opening operation so that the can may be removed from I saidcutter.

can to be opened in alignment with said cutter,

opened, said cradle being movable toward and I a link connecting withsaid lever arm, and a foot pedal connecting with said link, said linkand said foot pedal being adapted to rock said lever arm and the cradlecarried thereon to force the can onto the cutter to produce adispensingopen ing in the can.

5. A can opening device, comprising in combination a bracket forsupporting the device, a removable cutter secured to said bracket, alever arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, a cradle carried on saidlever for supporting a can to be opened in alignment with said cutter,actuating means connecting with said lever arm for rocking it and thecradle carried thereon to force the can onto the cutter to produce adispensing opening in the can, and a guard on-said bracket adjacent saidcutter which partiallysurrounds a can being opened to block discharge ofcontents from the can during the opening operation.

6. A can opening-device, comprising in combination a bracket, a hollowcutter on said bracket, a lever arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, acradle carried on said lever arm, said cradle having a base adapted toreceive a can to be opened and to support it in an upright position inalignment with said cutter, said cradle having curved guide rails tosurround and support the upper end of the can adjacent its upper endseam, and actuating means connecting with said lever arm for rocking itand the cradle for impaling the can onto the cutter so that the cutterwill pierce the can top adjacent its end seam and cut inwardly towardthe center of the top while turning back the cut-away portion to producea substantially rectangular dispensing opening therein.'

7. A can opening device, comprising in combination a wall bracket, alever arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, a cradle carried on saidlever arm for supporting a can to be opened and for swinging the cantoward the bracket, and a hollow. puncturing cutter mounted on saidbracket and adapted to enter a 'wall of the can upon movement of saidcradle for forcing back a part of the can wall and for forming adispensing opening therein for the can contents.

JOHN M. HO'I'HERSAIL.

